A veteran of teaching and admissions counseling, Josh Stephens advises applicants to selective undergraduate and graduate programs.

Josh taught geography, journalism, and speech and debate at the Archer School in his native Los Angeles and later served as lead editor at Application Boot Camp (now Top Tier Admissions), the pioneering college counseling workshop. Josh originated and personally conducted Application Boot Camp’s application essay guidance program. Josh solidified his international experience in his role as Director of International Development for the test preparation company ArborBridge, for which he visited over 200 high schools worldwide.

He works with a broad range of students, including many who have gained admission to the most selective universities in the country, including Amherst, Duke, Caltech, MIT, Northwestern, Pomona, Stanford, all ten University of California campuses, and all eight Ivy League colleges. In addition to his work with domestic clients, Josh has supported international students from Brazil, Canada, China, Kuwait, Lebanon, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and many other countries. He has worked with students of Chinese background through Interface Education Services.

Josh advises graduate school applicants to business school (MBA), medical school, law school, and public policy programs.

Josh is a member of the International Assoc. for College Admissions Counseling and an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Assoc. He blogs about the college application process on the Huffington Post and Medium. He has coached high school, middle school, and club volleyball. Josh graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English and earned his Master in Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Outside of his academic work, he is a contributing editor to the California Planning & Development Report and is one of the leading journalists covering urban planning in California.